Container for shipment of eggs



May 27, 1952 Filed March 1, 1949 H. C. REESER CONTAINER FOR SHIPMENT OF EGGS 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORN EY y 27, 1952 H. c. REESER 2,597,846

CONTAINER FOR SHIPMENT OF EGGS Filed March 1, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY y 7 1952 H. c. REESER 2,597,846

I CONTAINER FOR SHIPMENT 0F EGGS Filed March 1, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTO RN EY May 27, 1952 H. c. REESER CONTAINER FOR SHIPMENT OF EGGS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 1, 1949 ELM $23 ATTOR N EY Patented May 27, 1952 CONTAINER FOR SHIPMENT OF EGGS Harry C. Reeser, North Hollywood, Calif., assignor to The Patent and Licensing Corporation, New York, N. XL, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 1, 1949, Serial No. 79,016 3 Claims. (01. 229 i5)' This invention relates to shipping containers and is particularly concerned with compartmented containers adapted 'for the shipment of eggs and the like and made of corrugated or solid fiberboard, boxboard, or similar strong,

lightweight folclable sheet material.

Shipping containers for eggs, and similar strong, lightweight foldable sheet material.

Shipping containers for eggs, and similar commodities which require relatively frequent inspection and are highly susceptible to injury by external impact, should not only effectively protect their contents from the hazards of shipment and handling, and be strong enough to sustain compression loading of superposed containers, but at the same time they should be adapted to be easily opened at frequent intervals and again securely closed. Further, it is highly desirable that such containers be capable of being shipped in the form of flat blanks which may be readily and quickly assembled by the prospective user. Egg shipping containers heretofore made of lightweight foldable material and devised in an effort to meet the above criteria have generally had one or more commercial disadvantages. For example, they employ an inordinate amount of material in their construction, are diflicult to manufacture or assemble, are bulky to ship when empty, or do not provide the desired protection for their contents.

be manufactured with minimum waste of material, which can be shipped to the user in the form of flat blanks and which can be easily and quickly assembled.

According to the invention, I provide a compartmented shipping container which may be readily assembled from flat blanks of lightweightfoldable sheet material designed to provide-a double thickness of-material on the bottom and end walls of the container and a load sustaining transverse partition. The combination of the assembled parts provides a container which not only protects its contents from in- ;iuryirom external impact by providing a shock absorbing cushion for its contents and is easily opened and closed, but also provides anefiective load bearing surface which will withstand compression loading of superposed containers.

Briefly described, my container comprises a case having a bottom, side and endwalls, a transverse partition disposed centrally of the case and a liner member having integral portions coextensive With the bottom and end walls of the outer case and both walls of the partition and providing cover elements for the container. The cover elements have locking flaps which by frictional engagement with portions of the liner member hold the cover elements securely closed.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and from the drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the container of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in section taken along the line 22 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the liner member of my container,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the partition member,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a blank from which may be formed the body portion of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the blanks forming my container in set-up form,

Fig. '7 is a View in perspective of another embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 8 is a sectional View taken along the line 88 of Fig. '7, a

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the blanks forming the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 7 in setup form, and

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the blank from which may be assembled the body portion of the .embodiment shown in Fig. '7.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 3 to 5, there are shown three substantially rectangular flat blanks which have been cut and scored to permit fabrication of a container embodying features of the present invention. These blanks may be formed from flat sheets of corrugated fiberboard, solid fiberboard, .box-

board or other foldable material which is lightweight yet possesses adequate flexibility and strength forthe purposes of the invention.

Shown in Fig. 5 is a substantially rectangular blank, designated generally by the numeral l2,

adapted to form the body portion of one embodiment of my container. Blank I2 has been transversely scored to define rectangular side wall panels l3 and I4, adapted to form the sides of my container, an end wall panel [5, flexibly connected to the outer edge of side wall panel l4 along score line I6, and an end wall panel I! positioned between side wall panels 13 and I4 and flexibly connected thereto along score lines l8 and I9, respectively. The bottom of my container is formed by bottom flaps 28, 2|, 22 and 23 flexibily connected along longitudinal score line 24 to the lower edges of wall panels I 3, l4, l and H. A slot 28 extends collinearly from the lower end of score line IE to the outer edge of blank l2 and separates bottom flaps 2! and 22, and slots 29 and 33, extending outwardly from the lower ends of score lines I8 and [3, respectively, separate bottom panel 23 from bottom panels and 2|. A relatively narrow attaching flap 3! is flexibly secured along score line 3la, to the outer side edge of side panel. [3.

The upper edge of side panel i3 is provided with two strips 32, flexibly connected to panel 13 along score line 33, and separated by a slot 34 extending from score line 33 to the outer edge of the blank l2. Similarly, side panel I4 is provided with strips 35 flexibly connected thereto along score line 36 and separated by slot 31. The upper edges of end panels l5 and I! are provided with strips 38 and 39 flexibly connected to the respective panels along score lines 40 and 4|, respectively. For convenience in-carrying the container, hand-holds 42 and 43 are provided in end panels 15 and 5?, respectively. While in the embodiment illustrated hand-holds 42 and 43 are trapezoidal in..shape, they may be of any convenient shape.

Referring to Fig. 4, a partition for my container is formed from a blank 45 transversely scored to define a central partition panel 46 and lateral flanges M, flexibly joined to panel 5% along score lines 43.

The liner member of my container, as shown in Fig. 3, is formed from an elongated flat blank 50 transversely scored to define two central panels 5| flexibly joined along score line 52, bottom liner panels 53 flexibly joined to the outer edges of panels 5| along score lines 5 3, end liner panels 55 connected to the outer edges of panels E l along score line 56, and covers 51, flexibly connected along score lines 58, to the outer ends of end liner panels 55. Looking flaps 59 are formed as extensions of covers 57 and are defined by score lines 60. Hand holds 5i are formed in end liner panels 55 and are positioned to coincide with hand holds 42 and 43 when the container is assembled.

It will be observed that the blanks with which I form my container are all substantially rectangular in form and are free from small tabs and the like which might easily tear oif in handling and add to the difficulty of manufacture and assembly. Further, my container blanks are made from a minimum amount of material and with minimum waste. As previously indicated, the container may be shipped to the user in the form of flat blanks which may be easily and quickly assembled.

To assemble my container the blank 12 is bent inwardly along the transverse score lines l5, l8 and I9 into the form of a rectangular tube and the attaching strip 3|, folded along score line 31a, is secured as by staples 62, or other convenient securing means, to end wall panel l5. The bottom flaps 29, 2|, 22 and 23 are then folded inwardly along score line 24 and secured in position, as by an adhesive strip 63. To assemble the partition the lateral flanges 41 are bent between side walls I3 and I4.

4 at right angles to partition panel 46 as shown in Fig. 6 and the partition directed into place The partition panel is aligned with slots 34 and 31 and the flanges 4! secured as by staples 62, or other convenient securing means, to the side walls. If desired, the stapling operations whereby attaching strip 3| is secured to end wall l5 and flanges i'i are secured to side walls l3 and [4 may be carried out by the manufacturer and the partly assembled container shipped in collapsed condition to the user who can then readily set up the case and attach the adhesive strip 63. In this way, the advantage of shipment as a substantially flat blank is retained and the user is saved the necessity of having to have stapling machinery. Referring to Fig. 6, the liner 5!! is erected by folding panels 5| along score line 52, bending bottom liner panels 53 outwardly at right angles to panels 5i and then bending end liner panels 55 upwardly at right angles to panels The liner is then directed into position in the assembled case. The strips 38 and 39 are bent inwardly so that they lie against the inner surface of end walls i5 and [1, respectively. When the container has been loaded, the strips 32 and 35 are bent inwardly at right angles to the side walls and the covers 51 directed into place. To close the container the locking flaps 55 are inserted into the space between the panels 5i and the inner ends of strips 32 and 35 and. are there firmly held in place by frictional engagement. When the contents are to be inspected or removed the covers 51 may be readily folded back and then again securely closed. Separate covers, which are commonly employed with conventional egg cases are easily misplaced or-damaged in the course of the frequent opening and closing to which egg cases are commonly subjected, and in some cases fall off in the course of shipment. This disadvantage is completely eliminated in my container.

It will be observed that my container has a double thickness of material on the bottom and end walls and a rigid reinforced central partition. This construction provides a cushioning efiect against external blows and reinforces the container against compression forces. The container will easily sustain compression loading of several tiers of cases with complete protection of its contents.

In the embodiment described, the container body and the central transverse partition are formed from two separate sheets. In accordance with my invention, however, a container body may be formed with an integralpartition, i. e. the body and the partition may be formed from a single sheet.

Referring to Fig. 10, the body and partition of my container are formed from a blank 65 which has been cut and scored to define a central side wall panel 66,end wall panels 6'! and 68 flexibly connected to opposite side edges of panel 66 along score lines 69 and 10, respectively, a side wall panel H flexibly connected to the outer side edge of panel 61 along score line 12 and a side wall panel 13 similarly joined to panel 68 along score line 14. Partition panel 15 extends outwardly along score line 16 from the outer edge of side wall panel 13 and a securing strip 11 is defined along the outer edge of panel 15 by transverse score line 18. The bottom of the case is formed by bottom flaps 79, 80, 8|, 82, and 83 extending downwardly from panels 66-, 61, 68, H and "13,

,; respectively, along score line 84. Strips 85, 86,31,

98 and 89 are flexibly connected along a score line 90 to the upper edges of panels 66, 67, 63, 7| and 73, respectively. Strips 35 are spaced apart by a slot 9| extending from score line 96 to the upper edge of blank 65. It will be observed that bottom flap 82 and strip 88 do not extend to the outer side edge of side wall panel H, thus defining an attaching strip Ha. Hand holds 94 and 95 are provided in end wall panels 67 and 68, respectively, and are positioned to coincide with hand holds 6! in liner 59 when the container is assembled.

As shown in 9 the body and partition are assembled by bending the wall panels 66, 67, 68, H and 73 along their respective score lines to form a tube and securing, as by staples 62, the attaching strip Ha to side wall panel 73. Partition panel 75 is placed in transverse position by means of securing strip 77, secured as by staples 62 to side wall panel 66. container is completed as described above in connection with the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.

It will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims and it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and in the drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A compartmented container for the shipment of e gs and the like which comprises, in combination, a substantially rectangular body portion having a bottom, side walls and end walls, a transverse partition member disposed centrally of said body portion and secured to each of said side walls to divide said body portion into two compartments, and a liner member disposed in said body portion, said liner member having integral panels overlying each side of said partition member and integral portions overlying the end walls and the bottom of said body portion, the portions of said liner overlying the end walls hav- The assembly of the 6 ing hinged extensions to provide cover members bendable to close said compartments.

2. A compartmented container for the shipment of eggs and the like which comprises, in combination, a substantially rectangular body portion having a bottom, side walls and end walls, a transverse partition member disposed centrally of said body portion and secured to each of said side walls to divide said body portion into two t compartments, relatively narrow strips extending inwardly along the upper edges of said side walls into each of said compartments, and a liner member disposed in said body portion, said liner member having integral panels overlying each side of said partition member, and integral portions overlying the end walls and the bottom of said body portions, the portions of said liner overlying the end walls having hinged extensions to provide cover members bendable inwardly to close said compartments, said cover members having locking flaps frictionally engageable between the inner ends of said side wall strips and the surface of the liner panels overlying said transverse partition.

'3. A container as defined in claim 2 wherein said transverse partition is integral with one of said side walls.

HARRY C. REESER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,052,135 Fuller Aug. 25, 1936 2,297,982 Potts Oct. 6, 1942 2,327,529 Kieckhefer Aug. 24, 1943 2,404,065 Hill July 16, 1946 2,404,067 Hill July 16, 1946 2,404,704 Guyer July 23, 1946 2,427,397 Ferguson Sept. 16, 1947 

